John GatesDied 9 Aug 1911 at age 56 (born 8 May 1855).John Warne Gates was an American inventor and promoter, known as John “Bet A Million” Gates, because he was also aspeculator. He discovered a market for wire fencing on the Western plains and helped convince ranchers to adopt barbed wire. He began its manufacture in St. Louis, Missouri. By a succession of consolidations and promotion schemes, he organized (1898) the American Steel and Wire Company. |